Thousands set off on the Peace March from Tuzla to Srebrenica on Monday, marking the beginning of the 29th commemoration of the genocide committed by the Bosnian Serb army and police against the Bosniaks of Srebrenica in July 1995. At that time, more than 8,000 people, mainly men and boys, were killed.

The march has been taking place for 20 years as a prelude to the central commemoration ceremony, which is held every year on 11 July at the Memorial Centre in Potocari. Participants in the march follow the routes taken by the inhabitants of Srebrenica to flee the enclave, which was under UN protection after being attacked by Serbian forces who constantly attacked them.

By Wednesday, when they are expected to arrive in Potocari, the participants will have covered about 30 kilometres each day through forested and difficult terrain, which 29 years ago was the only way to reach the area controlled by the army of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The youngest victim was 17 years old

After this year’s memorial service, the remains of 14 other victims of the Srebrenica genocide, which were discovered in various mass graves after the 1992-95 war, will be buried in Potocari on Thursday.

The youngest victim to be buried this year is Beriz Mujic, who was 17 years old. His remains were found last year. The oldest victim, who will be buried on Thursday, is Hamed Salic, who was 68 years old.

The brothers Hasib and Camil Efendic, whose remains were found in two separate mass graves, will also be buried. Their third brother was buried in Potocari in 2007.

The memorial cemetery in Srebrenica now holds the remains of 6,751 victims of the genocide, while a further 250 were buried in other cemeteries at the request of their families. The search for the remains of around 1,000 other victims of the genocide continues.